Nell-Bell of the Ball
by ncisloverinnc
Summary: A black tie affair and some help from her 'fairy godmother' give Nell a boost in self-confidence, and it doesn't go unnoticed.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: After the intensity of rewatching 'Sans Voir', I felt the need for fluff, and lots of it, thus, this story. For the record, I thought 'Endgame' last night was awesome! Still no Nallen, but that's why we have fan fiction, right?**

**Disclaimer: Me- "It's mine. Check." SB- "No, it isn't. Checkmate."**

* * *

The Office of Special Projects was finally quiet, and Nell Jones sighed in relief. This week, the team had uncovered a terrorist plot to attack the upcoming Navy Ball, where the highest ranking Naval Officers, including SecNav himself, would be in attendance. The plan had been to infiltrate the Ball by going undercover as guests, and take down the terrorists before they could proceed with their attack. However, after several stressful days of planning, they had stumbled upon a piece of intel that allowed them to thwart the plan and bring the bad guys into custody, all a full day before the Ball was to take place. As a thank you, SecNav requested the presence of the entire team, including Eric, Nell and Hetty, at the Ball as his honored guests, instead of as protection detail.

They had all complained about going, but they really couldn't say no to the Secretary of the Navy. Besides, Hetty had given them full access to Wardrobe, with the stipulation that any damages to her outfits would be taken out of their hides and their paychecks. One by one, they had chosen designer outfits that would be suitable for the gala affair, and everyone had left to get ready for the party. Everyone, that is, except Nell.

She sat in Ops very quietly until she was certain she was alone, then relaxed into her chair. She hated this kind of thing. She liked to get dressed up and go out, no doubt, but she felt uncomfortable around the politicos and higher-ups that would be in attendance. She had no desire to stand around all night, nursing a weak drink, making small talk with her superiors, and being scrutinized. So she hid upstairs until everyone had been gone for a bit, then she planned to retire home to a stack of People magazines and a bottle of wine.

"Miss Jones, you'd best start getting ready for the Ball, or you'll be late," a familiar voice interrupted her reverie.

Nell jumped. "Hetty! I thought everyone had gone..."

"I was about to leave when I noticed the lights on in Ops. I assumed Mr. Beale forgot to turn them off in his haste to escape. Why are you still here?"

"I..um... I thought I would just finish up the paperwork on this case tonight."

"The paperwork can wait until tomorrow, dear. Go, and have a good time."

"But Hetty, I'd feel better if I just got it all done. Maybe I could drop by later, if there's time," she hedged.

"Nonsense! You need a break from work. Go. Enjoy yourself. Now, what did you choose to wear this evening?"

Nell sighed. "I..uh...never had a chance to go to Wardrobe," she lied.

Hetty peered at her for a moment, then approached her carefully. "Nell, dear, what is the real reason you don't want to go?"

Nell glanced up quickly. Hetty was staring at her in a motherly, concerned manner, and it immediately melted Nell's defenses.

"I hate these events," she grumbled.

"What do you mean?" Hetty prompted.

"Ugh, Hetty, I just don't feel like I fit in there! I'm not an agent, I didn't rush in to save the day. I didn't earn this! And I'm not one of the beautiful people. I've always been the smart girl, not the pretty one. I didn't even go to my high school prom," she revealed.

Hetty stared at the young analyst for a moment, then pushed her glasses up on her nose, deciding that tough love was indicated. "Miss Jones, while I can understand that you might feel uncomfortable in this particular social setting, let me remind you of several things. First, you might not have 'rushed in to save the day', as you put it, but you decrypted the data that allowed the field agents to do so. You were invited by the Secretary of the Navy as his honored guest, and you will go. This is a commandment, not a request. Furthermore, this event is hosted to honor our military- the very men and women who protect our great nation. You would do well to remember that. And finally," Hetty's eyes softened, "you, my dear, are indeed one of the beautiful people, both inside and out."

Nell looked at the older woman, properly chastised. "Sorry, Hetty."

"Alright, then, come along. I think perhaps you might benefit from the help of a fairy godmother. We have work to do." Hetty winked and started downstairs, beckoning Nell to follow her. Half an hour later, Nell looked at herself in the mirror and hardly recognized the woman she saw.

Her dress was vintage Dior in a deep olive color that complemented her hair and skin beautifully. It was sleeveless, cut in a deep V in the front, and tapered in at the waist, emphasizing Nell's tiny figure. Finally, it ended in a ball gown skirt that stopped just above the knee. She accessorized the outfit with diamond drop earrings and a matching cuff bracelet.

"Wow," she breathed, spinning slowly in front of the mirror.

"Wow indeed," Hetty smiled. "Now, come along. We have a party to attend."

* * *

"Ms. Lange, Miss Jones- Nice of you to join us this evening," Director Vance welcomed the two ladies as they arrived at the Ball. "Nell, allow me to introduce my wife, Jackie. Jackie, this is Nell Jones, our intelligence analyst in the Office of Special Projects. And you already know Henrietta Lange, our Operations Manager." The women murmured greetings and shook hands. The group exchanged pleasantries for a few moments before Director Vance interrupted. "If you ladies would excuse us for a moment," he addressed Nell and Jackie, "Henrietta, I believe Secretary Jarvis would like a word with you." He took Hetty by the arm and led her toward the SecNav.

Nell looked longingly after Hetty, appearing uncomfortable at being left alone with Mrs. Vance, but Jackie's outgoing personality broke the ice quickly. "Well, nobody ever accused Leon of being all play and no work." She grinned warmly at Nell. "Nell, I have heard so many wonderful things about you. My husband says you're the brains behind the L.A. operation, but he didn't tell me you were so beautiful."

The analyst blushed. "Thank you, but as far as the brains, I'm only half of the geek squad at OSP, and as for the beauty, my fairy godmother is responsible for all this," she pointed to her dress and accessories, smiling.

"Well, your fairy godmother has excellent taste in clothing, but she only enhanced what was already there," Jackie winked conspiratorially. "I believe your co-worker would agree. He hasn't taken his eyes off you since you came though the door."

Nell glanced around until she found her team. "He is probably relieved that I'm finally here. Eric isn't really into the black tie scene. I imagine he's counting the minutes until he can change into shorts and flip flops," she joked.

"Yes, I've heard about Mr. Beale's creative wardrobe," Jackie laughed. "But I wasn't referring to him. I was talking about Agent Callen."

"What? Callen?" Nell sputtered nervously. "Oh, no, I'm sure he was looking at someone else. He probably noticed Hetty had arrived."

Jackie shot her a look. "He was most certainly not noticing Hetty. Girl, that man is looking at you like he could eat you alive!"

Her comments caused a flush to run straight through Nell's body. She had always had a slight crush on the Senior Agent, but the thought that he would find her attractive was ridiculous. Yet, when she turned again toward the team, she noted with pleasure that his smoldering gaze was trained on her.

"You like him, don't you, Nell?" Jackie questioned observantly. "He clearly likes what he sees. You should just go for it," the Director's wife nudged her. "Sometimes, we women have to make the first move, or else nothing will ever happen. I asked Leon out on our first date. He was so shy, I would still be single if I had waited for him to ask me."

"But clearly, my wife isn't shy," Vance smirked as he put an arm around Jackie. "Give her long enough, and you'll be braiding each other's hair and know each other's life histories."

* * *

"Nice party," Kensi noted as her eyes followed a group of handsome sailors in uniform who walked by.

"Yeah, if you like wearing a monkey suit and making small talk," grumbled Eric.

"Come on, Eric. The drinks are free, there are some bodacious babes, and you're wearing Hugo Boss. How could an online game be better than a night out with your team?" Deeks teased.

"Maybe if you weren't here," interjected Sam.

"Oh, look- there's Hetty talking to Director Vance," Kensi pointed out to the guys.

"Forget Hetty. I want to know who the hottie is talking to Mrs. Director Vance," Deeks mused aloud.

"Oh my God, guys..." Eric began, as the woman in question turned slightly toward the group. "That's Nell!"

A collective gasp went up from the remainder of the team as they took in her appearance. Only Callen remained silent. His gaze became heated as it raked over her body. He mentally caught himself- this was Nell Jones, intelligence analyst, co-worker. There was no way he should be thinking these improper thoughts about Nell. Except that he inexplicably was.

His reverie was broken by the conversations his teammates were having about their co-worker.

"She looks like a young Audrey Hepburn," Kensi noted.

Sam grinned. "Looks like our little Nell is all grown up."

"Yeah, who knew Nell Bell had such a nice pair of...oof!" Deeks was cut off mid-sentence when Kensi's elbow made contact with his ribs. "Shoes! I was gonna say a nice pair of shoes! What are those, Manolo Blahniks?" he rambled as he rubbed his sore chest.

"Actually, Mr. Deeks, they are Christian Louboutins," Hetty interrupted from behind the group.

Deeks whirled around. "With the red soles?" he inquired excitedly.

"The very ones," Hetty replied. "Msr. Louboutin himself designed that style especially for me."

" 'The Henrietta' is named after you? That is so cool!" Deeks gushed.

Sam shook his head. "Deeks, you're such a girl."

"What? I sold shoes in a high end boutique when I was undercover once," he defended.

Kensi snorted. "You were Al Bundy?"

"No, Kensi," Deeks explained patiently. "These were expensive designer shoes for ladies with expensive tastes and rich husbands. We're talking Manolos, Jimmy Choos, you name it. Al Bundy worked at the mall."

"Is that like the difference between an escort and a hooker, Deeks?" Sam goaded.

The banter continued as they all observed Nell making her way toward the group. Once she arrived, her friends showered her with hugs and compliments on her attire for the evening. Hetty merely stood by and smirked, giving her a knowing look.

The merry-making was interrupted by a very good looking blonde man in dress whites.

"Excuse me, ma'am," he began as he gently touched Nell's elbow. "Would you like to dance?"

Nell looked around in confusion. "Me?"

The sailor nodded, smiling. "You." Nell blushed, but returned his smile and made her way onto the dance floor with the young man.

"Um, guys? What just happened?" Eric queried nervously.

"What just happened is that your partner looks hot tonight, and judging by the looks of things, she's made quite an impression on the single male population in attendance," Sam joked. "Maybe you should ask her to dance."

Kensi elbowed him, pointing. "You may need to take a number."

They all turned in unison, and there was indeed a group of young men surrounding Nell, asking her to dance, and fetching her drinks.

"Looks like she's the 'Nell Bell' of the ball tonight," Deeks observed, garnering groans and eye rolls from his friends.

Callen felt a strange wave of jealousy and possessiveness pass through him. He passed it off as concern for a co-worker, but it niggled in the back of his mind all night. He finally became so disconcerted at his unexpected emotional response that he excused himself and went to the bar to clear his head.

"She's stunning, isn't she, Agent Callen?"

The young man turned to the source of the comment, and found Jackie Vance smirking at him.

"Mrs. Vance," he acknowledged. "Enjoying your evening?"

"I am, but it looks like you aren't having a very good time," she said, turning to follow Callen's gaze to the dance floor, where Nell was twirling with the Director. "You need to tell her."

"I beg your pardon?"

"Tell her she looks pretty. Ask her to dance. Tell her you like her. But don't stand around sulking all night because you're too scared to admit it to yourself or her."

Callen cocked his head to one side and narrowed his eyes. "I don't know what you're talking about," he told her.

Mrs. Vance sighed. "You are both in denial." She rolled her eyes. "Honey, if you could only see the looks you two keep sending each other. It's cute, actually. But given the number of guys on her dance card tonight, I wouldn't wait too long." With that, she gave him another smirk, picked up her drink, and walked away, shaking her head.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Sorry for the delay in updating. I had LASIK last week, and although I have 20/15 vision now (no glasses or contacts, yay!), I can't spend a lot of time online yet because my eyes are still really sensitive. Also, there have been a few other stories posted with very similar settings as this one, and it kind of made me lose my inspiration, so I had to think about the best way to proceed. Anyway, here it is- hope you enjoy!**

* * *

As Jackie Vance walked back toward the party, Callen's head was left spinning. He realized with a start that he had spent the better portion of the evening following Nell's every move. Was the Director's wife right about his reasons for observing Nell? And what did she mean about the looks they were sending each other? He hadn't noticed Nell sending him looks, and he was a trained investigator, which said something about his level of distraction. Hmm. Jackie had certainly given him a lot of food for thought.

Nell herself was having one of the best nights of her life. She had danced, been flirted with, and mingled effortlessly with many high ranking Naval officials, and thanks to Hetty, she felt completely at ease. Hetty had shrugged off Nell's effusive praise, citing that "the clothes do not make the man (or woman, in this case)." Still, Nell would never have had the confidence to enjoy herself so much had it not been for the older woman's efforts.

The adrenaline rush that had started her evening was beginning to dwindle, and Nell suddenly felt the need to escape for a few moments to catch her breath. Wandering around the ballroom, she found a door which led to a balcony overlooking the ocean. She exited the noisy party, and inhaled the salt air deeply. She stepped further onto the balcony, rested against the railing, and let the wind ruffle her hair.

Callen had observed her going outside, and followed her to the balcony. After a moment's hesitation, he quietly opened the door. Nell stood facing the water, but she turned slightly when she heard his footsteps.

"Hey, Callen," she smiled at him nervously.

"Hey, party girl," he smiled back. "Having fun?" He sidled up next to her and leaned casually on the railing.

"Too much," the young analyst laughed. "I needed a breather."

"Yeah, you've been tearing up the dance floor. Work up a thirst?" He questioned, as he extended a glass of champagne in her direction.

She accepted it gratefully. "Mmm...yes, please."

"Hetty left a little earlier, but I told her I'd be happy to give you a ride home."

Nell's stomach flip-flopped. After her conversation with Mrs. Vance, she had noticed that the Senior Agent had been covertly monitoring her activities all evening, and she had harbored a secret wish that it was because he found her attractive. But now she felt certain that he was just playing the role of team leader, keeping an eye on her for Hetty.

Her hopes dashed, she turned to him and nodded. "Thanks, but I can catch a cab."

Callen felt confused and mildly annoyed. Now that the idea that there could be more between him and Nell had been planted in his mind, he wanted to test the waters, and do what he did best- investigate. "Do you really want either of us to face Hetty's wrath if I don't make sure you get home safely?" he asked cheekily.

Nell sighed. "No, I guess not." She stood with her eyes closed, listening to the waves crash against the shore, and trying to ignore her proximity to the agent. She had finally mastered the art of standing next to him in Ops without hyperventilating, but out here, with the breeze carrying the mixed scent of ocean waves and him, she was failing miserably.

Finally, she opened her eyes, only to find him gazing at her curiously, with the look on his face that he typically got when trying to solve a particularly difficult case.

"You okay?" he asked, concerned.

She blushed. "Yeah, just tired, I guess."

"Being a social butterfly will do that to you. Let's see," he began to tick off on his fingers, "the Admiral, the SecNav, the Director, half the officers in the Navy- I think you've danced with every man here tonight."

"Not every man," she murmured wistfully. Her eyes widened slightly in shock as she realized she had said it out loud. She nervously looked down and quickly sipped her champagne.

Callen seemed just as surprised at her admission as she did. Maybe this was the opening he hadn't even known he was waiting for. Before he ruined the moment by overthinking it, he plunged in, "Would you like to dance with me?", extending his hand.

Her head shot up quickly. She certainly didn't want him to ask her to dance out of pity or obligation. What she found in his eyes was something quite unexpected. _Desire._ Her heart began to pound, but she took a deep breath, smiled graciously, and took the proffered hand.

The couple walked into the ballroom together and out onto the dance floor. Callen mentally noted how well their bodies fit together as his right arm encircled her waist and his left hand held her right one. Her head fit neatly in the space between his neck and shoulder, and as he inhaled her scent, he couldn't help but think that his physical response to this woman was probably in major violation of some NCIS policy.

Across the dance floor, Jackie Vance smirked. "Mmmm hmmm."

Leon pulled back slightly and frowned. "What?" He followed her line of sight, and was shocked to see G. Callen and Nell Jones dancing much closer together than two co-workers normally should. He shifted his gaze back to his wife, who was now grinning openly. "Did you have anything to do with that?" His eyebrow rose in question.

"I can neither confirm nor deny that accusation."

"Oh, Lord," Vance shook his head. "Henrietta's gonna have my ass."

"Now, Leon, first, nothing has happened yet. Second, they would have eventually gotten there themselves. I just gave them a little nudge in the right direction."

The Director laughed. "You are such an old romantic." He kissed her gently on the forehead.

"Well, it worked on you, didn't it?" Her eyes twinkled as she snuggled into her husband, who was still chuckling softly. "And who are you calling old?"


	3. Chapter 3

The band segued from one slow dance tune to another, and the young couple in the middle of the floor continued to sway together, oblivious to the changing music. Callen wasn't even aware that he had been gently stroking the bare skin exposed by the dip of Nell's dress until she let out a soft, contented moan. In fact, he was so caught up in the feeling of pride her sigh caused him that his fingers continued to move of their own accord over her silky skin. Suddenly, Nell snickered, causing him to look in the direction she was facing, and breaking his reverie. He caught a glimpse of Kensi and Deeks at the edge of the dance floor, making out like teenagers in the dimly lit ballroom.

"Wonder if they'll remember _that_ in the morning?" Nell queried with a smile.

Callen turned to her to reply, as Nell looked up to face him. They were both shocked to find their faces only millimeters apart. Nell blushed as she realized she was staring at his lips, imagining what they would feel like pressed against hers. She glanced up quickly to see if he had noticed, only to find him smirking at her, one eyebrow raised. _Busted_.

"I think we could remind them. Maybe get the security footage and play it on the big screen in Ops," he murmured softly, leaning in so that his breath tickled her ear.

She shivered at the sensation. It took her a moment to regain her composure, so strong was her physical response to his nearness. When she refocused, she noticed Director and Mrs. Vance dancing nearby. Jackie caught her eye and winked conspiratorially, causing Nell to blush again before turning back to her dance partner. Who, by the way, had witnessed the whole thing.

"So, you and Mrs. Vance seem to be pretty chummy," he mused.

"I had actually never met her before tonight," Nell revealed. "We talked for a while earlier. I thought she was very nice. She shared some ...interesting perspectives...with me," she continued vaguely.

Watching the Director and his wife together gave Callen pause. They clearly loved each other, and she was supportive of his often challenging position as head of a federal agency. Yet, she was a very strong person in her own right. She was outspoken, but warm and compassionate. From his few interactions with the woman, and by all accounts, she seemed to be the perfect foil for the sometimes aloof and cool Leon Vance. She reminded him an awful lot of the woman currently in his arms. So, could her observations about him and Nell carry some credibility?

The more he mulled over the idea, the more he wondered why it had never occurred to him before now. He glanced down at the young analyst and found her studying him with curiosity. Flashing her an enigmatic smile, he replied, "Mrs. Vance and I had an interesting conversation tonight, too. She's pretty observant. Would've made a good agent herself."  
Without any further comment, he pulled the redhead close again.

Nell, herself, had been analyzing the Senior Agent's behavior this evening based on her conversation with Mrs. Vance. Trying to remain objective, she could only conclude that Jackie may have been right. G. Callen was a colleague and a professional, but the almost nonexistent space between them was inappropriately close for co-workers. And the way he was gently, almost absently stroking her lower back was definitely heading into red light territory. Not that she minded, or anything.

By this point, Nell had admitted to herself that she was, indeed, attracted to her boss, and had been for quite some time. Despite her well-known control issues, however, Nell Jones was not the type of woman to pursue a man, especially one like G. Callen. He was out of her league, or so she had thought. Now, she wasn't sure what to think. Or if she could think at all, being in such close proximity to the handsome agent.

All too soon, the dance was over, and the band signaled that the party would be ending shortly. The couple made their way toward the exit, saying their goodbyes along the way. Callen noticed, with some degree of irritation, that several young men slipped Nell their numbers and asked her to call them as she walked by. She simply smiled and pocketed the slips of paper.

Finally, they reached Callen's car, and he held Nell's door for her before getting into the driver's seat. As he put the key in the ignition, Nell laid a hand on his arm.

"Callen...I don't want to go home yet," she blurted.

He turned a questioning eye toward the young woman.

"It's just that I had such a nice time tonight," she continued softly. "I really hadn't planned to come until Hetty forced me." She smiled and looked up at the Agent. "Now, I don't want the evening to end."

Callen relaxed and smiled back at her. "You know, I had a nice time, too. What did you have in mind?"

Nell thought for a moment, then turned to Callen with a wicked gleam in her eye. "Well, you're gonna think I'm crazy," she began. "But I was so nervous when I arrived, that I didn't eat anything. Then, I got so busy dancing, I forgot to eat. Now, I'm starving," she finished, with a slight blush.

Callen laughed heartily. "I could eat. Name the place." When Nell told him what she was craving, he laughed even harder. "Your wish is my command."

If the servers at In-and-Out Burger were surprised to see an attractive couple in Dior and Armani drive up in a Jaguar to order 'animal style' burgers, fries, and sodas, they didn't show it.

As per Nell's idea, they took their food back to her place to eat. Once inside, she placed the food on the coffee table in her living room and excused herself to change into more comfortable clothing. "I could see me trying to explain the 'special sauce' stains on the dress to Hetty. I'm sorry, I don't think I have anything that would fit you, though," she joked.

Fortunately, Callen kept a go-bag in his trunk, so he brought it inside and changed into jeans and a tee. When Nell returned to the living room, she was immediately struck by the fact that a man who could rock a tux as well as G. Callen could look even sexier in just plain, everyday clothes.

"You look cozy," the Agent smirked, eyeing Nell's yoga pants and NCIS t-shirt. He was pleasantly surprised at the new sides of the analyst he had seen tonight. He had always suspected there was more to her than the quirky persona she displayed at work. And seeing the many other facets of her personality, from glamorous and confident in her ball gown to relaxed and playful in her living room, made her even more attractive to him.

She rolled her eyes at his comment. "The Dior was amazing," she sighed. "I'll have to hand it to Hetty, she really was my fairy godmother, choosing that dress for me." She popped a fry into her mouth and mused into the distance, "I actually felt beautiful tonight." She quickly looked up, embarrassed. "Sorry, said that out loud, didn't I?"

Callen stopped eating and turned to fully face her. "Nell. You are beautiful. Yeah, the dress was nice, but you don't need the dress. You would have been the belle of the ball even without the Dior. You, Nell Jones, are a smart, sexy, funny, beautiful woman."

Silence descended upon the room as Nell, shocked, absorbed the meaning of his words. As seconds passed, and Nell continued to stare at him without speaking, Callen began to wonder if his spontaneous admission had been unwelcome. He was just about to make a joke to cover his discomfort, when Nell gave him a shy smile.

"Thanks, G." she said as she squeezed his hand. Then, to break the tension, she added, "Hey, are you gonna eat your pickles?"

The rest of the meal was filled with both teasing banter and pleasant conversation.

"I don't get it," Callen groaned, as Nell stole some of his fries. "How can someone as small as you eat so much? I feel like I'm going to explode."

"Good metabolism, I guess," she replied cheekily. She became aware that they had settled back into the sofa during dinner, and now, her head was resting lightly on his shoulder. She turned her head to face him. "Hey, Callen?"

"Hmm?"

"Is it just me, or is this starting to feel like a date?"

"Depends. Would that be weird?"

She contemplated for a moment. "No, I don't think so."

He responded by putting his arm around her and pulling her close. "Okay, then."

They remained that way for a while, and the weird thing was how right it felt. Finally, Callen looked at his watch. "It's really late. I think I should head home so we can both get some rest."

Nell walked him to the door. "Thanks for the ride home...and everything..."

"I enjoyed tonight," Callen smiled, and walked outside. He turned around, hands in his pockets. "Hey, do you like Coldplay? They're at the Hollywood Bowl next weekend, and I managed to score a couple tickets. Would you like to go? I mean, like, on an actual date?" He actually looked a little nervous.

Nell's heart melted and her face lit up. "I'd love to. See you Monday."

As he began to walk away, Nell could hear the voice of Jackie Vance in her head, telling her to 'go for it'.

"Ah, what the hell," she thought to herself.

"Hey, Callen?" she called. When he turned back to her, Nell took a few steps forward, grabbed him by the shirt, and pressed her lips to his. Almost instantly, his arms wrapped around her, and he kissed her back passionately. After a few heated moments, he reluctantly pulled away, kissing her one last time on the forehead and heading to his car with a grin and a swagger.

Nell smiled, shaking her head as she watched him leave, and not for the first time that evening, thanked her lucky stars for fairy godmothers.

* * *

**So, there you have it! I wanted to leave this as more of an origins type story, so I decided to stop here. Just a note- I really never intended for Jackie Vance to take over, but she is one of my favorite underrated characters, and she kind of got in my head :) Hope it wasn't a distraction. Thanks so much for all the reviews, follows and favorites- you guys make my day, and encourage me to keep writing.**


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